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ALCATRAZ HISTORY - Who was Alcatraz built for?

ALCATRAZ HISTORY

WHO WAS ALCATRAZ BUILT FOR?

Who ended up on Alcatraz? And why?

The federal government wanted to prove to the American public that
it was tough on crime. The Great Depression wrought a severe crime
surge in the 1920s and 1930s, with organized crime a real and growing
threat. Prohibition resulted in gangster activity. Law-enforcement
often seemed helpless against the ruthless, violent gangster tactics
that became more prevalent by the day. Public fear triggered the
Feds' decision to open a maximum-security, minimum-privilege facility
to house the national prison system's most incorrigible inmates.

In 1934, the old military prison on Alcatraz got a face lift and
a variety of security upgrades. Tool-proof bars were installed,
all utility tunnels were cemented to eliminate the possibility of
crawling through them to escape, and tear gas canisters were permanently
installed in the dining room ceiling. Guards and guard stations
were strategically placed to further heighten security.

The conditions on Alcatraz were not designed to punish its inmates
but the island's isolated location and purpose imbued it with the
lore and legend that have been associated with it over the years.
It never held more than 275 prisoners (always falling short of its
336 capacity), so it was never overcrowded. The lack of privacy
so common in other prisons did not exist on Alcatraz – the
one-man-to-a-cell living conditions actually made it a more desirable
place to be incarcerated than other prisons.

These somewhat humane conditions notwithstanding, Alcatraz certainly
had its share of unpleasantness. Inmates weren't allowed to speak
to each other except during meals and recreation periods. The cold
waters surrounding the prison made escape more difficult and made
the prison itself a chilly environment, particularly on the lower
floors. Some of the cells in "D Block" (namely, the "Strip
Cell" and the "Hole") were designed to torture inhabitants
on emotional and physiological levels that could be worse than any
physical punishment.

Wardens from the nation's penitentiaries were polled and permitted
to send their most difficult inmates to Alcatraz. By August 1934,
"The Rock" received 11 inmates from McNeil Island, 53
from Atlanta, and 102 from Leavenworth. Among those numbers included
Al Capone,
George
"Machine Gun" Kelly, Robert
"Birdman of Alcatraz" Stroud, Floyd Hamilton (driver
for Bonnie and Clyde), and Alvin
"Creepy" Karpis. The remaining 1,576 who arrived later
were not notorious gangsters but prisoners who refused to follow
rules, who were considered dangerous, or who required closer supervision
to prevent escape. In fact, once a prisoner was no longer considered
a threat (usually after approximately five years on Alcatraz), he
could be transferred off the island and finish his term in another
Federal prison.

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April - September 30 at 6:10pm
and 6:40pm. The higher Night Tour rate will be charged. Please indicate if you
want a Night Tour on your order. If Night tours are unavailable a day
Alcatraz tour if available will automatically be reserved for you.